and if they switch from analog technology, the generation of old technology, to egypt -- to digital technology, they could share that with private users and everybody would be better off. that is what economists want to see. but as roger said, every time we get close, politics seems to enter the fray again. so i am hopeful, but certainly cannot guarantee the problem will be solved. >> i think we do have to be patient, though, because the remember the idea of the spectrum auction came around in the 1950's. it took us only 40 years to get there. >> roger noll is currently at stanford university, the record of stiffer institute for economic policy research. jerry hausman is an economics professor at the massachusetts institute of technology. we're talking about the 30th anniversary of the decision to break up at&t. gentlemen, and we will start with you professor hausman, what is the relationship between the 1982 decision by harold greene and is there a relationship between that and 1996 telecommunications act? >> yes, by 1996 it was well recognized that things had gotten out of hand. this technol